Product Overview

Includes:It's A Wonderful Life: 60th Anniversary EditionWhite ChristmasIt's A Wonderful Life:George Bailey has so many problems he is thinking about ending it all - and it's Christmas ! As the angels discuss George, we see his life in flashback. As George is about to jump from a bridge, he ends up rescuing his guardian angel, Clarence. Clarence then shows George what his town would have looked like if it hadn't been for all his good deeds over the years. Will Clarence be able to convince George to return to his family and forget about suicide Format: DVD MOVIE

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Editors Note

Note

The CLASSIC CHRISTMAS COLLECTION presents a double feature of timeless holiday viewing: in Frank Capra's IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE (1946), a goodhearted but despondent man (Jimmy Stewart) is saved from suicide by his guardian angel; and in Michael Curtiz's WHITE CHRISTMAS (1954), two talented song-and-dance men (Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye) team up to become one of the hottest acts in show business.

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Awards

Nominee (1955)

Oscar, Irving Berlin, [White] Best Music, Original Song

Winner (1947)

Golden Globe, Frank Capra, [Life] Best Motion Picture Director

Nominee (1947)

Oscar, James Stewart, [Life] Best Actor in a Leading Role,Oscar, Frank Capra, [Life] Best Director,Oscar, William Hornbeck, [Life] Best Film Editing,Oscar, John Aalberg, [Life] Best Sound, Recording,Oscar, Frank Capra, [Life] Best Picture

Reviews

ReviewSource

Variety

Review

[White] Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye, along with VistaVision, keep the enteratinment going in this fancifully staged production, clicking well...The directorial handling by Michael Curtiz gives a smooth blend of music (13 numbers plus snatches of others) and drama, and in the climax creates a genuine heart tug that will squeeze tears...Crosby wraps up his portion of the show with deceptive ease, shuffling a mean hoof in the dances and generally aquitting himself like a champion. Kaye takes in his stride the dance, song and comedy demands of his assignment, keeping Crosby on his toes at all times.

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Reviewer

ReviewRating

9

ReviewSource

ReelViews

Review

[Life] What is it about this film, an uplifting, sentimental fable about the importance of the individual, that strikes a responsive chord with so many viewers? Some might argue that it has something to do with the season, but I don't buy that reasoning. It's a Wonderful Life is just as good in July as in December -- the time of the year has little to do with motion picture quality. Rather, I think It's a Wonderful Life has earned its legion of followers because it effectively touches upon one basic truth of life that we all would like to believe -- that each of us, no matter how apparently insignificant, has the power to make a difference, and that the measure of our humanity has nothing to do with fame or money, but with how we live our life on a day-to-day basis.

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Reviewer

James Berardinelli

ReviewRating

10

ReviewSource

Reel.com

Review

[Life] Though producer-director Frank Capra never intended it as a Christmas film, It's A Wonderful Life has nonetheless become a beloved seasonal favorite, primarily because its climactic scene occurs on Christmas Eve - and because it's a film about giving...When the film first played in postwar theaters, critics blasted it for the sentimentality that characterizes a Capra film, and it lost $525,000 at the box office. But the movie has grown more beloved over the years, partly because it reaffirms the values of a WWII generation - patriotism, hard work, and sacrifice - while ushering in the values of the Baby Boomer/Eisenhower years (including, among other things, the notion that part of the American dream lies in family, home ownership, 2.3 children, and not just tolerable, but wonderful neighbors).

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Reviewer

James Plath

ReviewRating

9

ReviewSource

DVD Verdict

Review

[White] The 1954 musical White Christmas had the advantage of the biggest selling song of the time for its title, and adding the huge fame of stars like Bing Crosby made it one of the biggest films of the year and a Christmas tradition in many households ever since. The thin romantic comedy plot is overshadowed by the numerous song and dance numbers, making for a sentimental spectacle...I really enjoyed the film despite not being a particular fan of musicals. I found the dancing especially entertaining, with Vera Ellen really standing out from the crowd. For fans of this Christmas staple, I see no reason not to recommend purchase of the disc. Some might just want to rent it during the holiday season, but I'm glad it's on my shelf.

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ReviewPage

Reviewer

Norman Short

ReviewRating

9

Features

DVD

Product Attributes

Video Format

DVD

Quotes

Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress

[White] Good songs, nice performers...

Leonard Maltin's Movie & Video Guide

[Life] ...this film seems to improve with age.

Liz Beardsworth, Empire Magazine

[Life] It's a gem for any time of the year and, as such, a vital part of any film fan's collection.